How to compost cooked food and dog poo?

Our city decided to cut our recycling program this year. I would like to cut down trash to a minimum to balance this out. Also, I would like to put these nutritious materials back into the soil.

I've heard of people composting dog (and cat) poop by digging a perferated pipe into the ground. Does anyone do this? How is it done? I'm cheap and really don't want to buy a green cone if I can make it myself for less.

Some people mention that they add cook food to their compost piles. I'm on the fence about this because of the potential for bad smells and attracting more vermon to the yard. Is there any type of composting systems I can construct to address these problems. Would bokashi work with cooked food? What about vermicomposting for the non-dairy and non-meat stuff?

dbailey, when I googled "dog poop composting" I found several different system for making homemade compost systems for dog waste. Here's one that uses a PVC pipe in the back yard:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Big-Dog-Poop-Composter/
I haven't tried this, but I know that people do use this method.

Vermicomposting does work for vegetative scraps--I just haven't gone this route.

I think that if you can bury your cooked scraps down deep, you won't have TOO much of a problem with animals, but admittedly, I've never done this. I use the Bokashi method for all my food scraps, cooked or otherwise, including dairy, meat, and fish. There's been a recent article here on DG on this: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/109/

Thank you CapeCodGardener

I have been reading around the internet It seems that cooked food scraps are fine directly in the pile as long as it is properly sealed. My compost is in several perferated sealed garbage cans. Would it be okay to just incorporate this into my exisitng system? I will start out with what I eat since i'm a vegetarian. Mostly eat rice, beans, pasta, cooked greens, peanut butter and so on. I'm stil nervous about putting any dairy or meat scraps in the bins because of the smell and possible pathogens. Cooking is suppose to destroy all disease. Yet, I am still concerned that the some of the bacteria that breaks down meat and dairy is noxious. Suppose bokashi would still be best for these items.

dbailey, I'm not a compost expert, but I haven't heard about noxious bacteria surviving in compost from food that has been properly-composted--I thought that cooking the food took care of that and that the worms and microbes finished the job! However, there are some wise experts on the DG Soil and Composting Forum and they may have better advice. I found the following quote on the internet which deals further with your question about composting cooked food. In my own case, I use the Bokashi-type method to "properly-compost" my scraps. Keeping a hot compost pile is another way.

From: A Martha Stewart message board on using cooked food in compost:
http://boards.marthastewart.com/topic/141356/t/no-cooked-food-in-compost-pile.html

I read that 'Big Dog Poop' link but I don't see how that would work, and it sure would not give you good compost. I have read instructions somewhere, like people who own teams of sled dogs, using sawdust with dog stuff and making actual compost.

Try the bottom half of this list: http://davesgarden.com/tools/tags/tag.php?tag=poo

Well, I have been adding cooked food to the compost bins for over two weeks now. No problems. The food is breaking down failry fast. It only has a slight smell when I turn the compost. Don't know why I didn't do it sooner. I am so excited to be adding more OM to my garden.

I haven't started composting the dog poo, yet.